Lincolnshire group in bid to build memorial to those who have lost their lives on the county’s roads

A group looking to erect a memorial that will honour those that have lost their lives on Lincolnshire’s roads has received backing from an East Midlands housebuilder.

Persimmon Homes East Midlands has chosen to back The Lincolnshire Road Victims Memorial Fund with a £1,000 donation. This comes courtesy of the housebuilder’s Community Champions scheme which backs two charities in the region with up to £1,000 each month.

The memorial will give those touched by tragedy on Lincolnshire’s roads a place to reflect on their loss.

The initiative is the brainchild of the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership after member Anne Bourne sadly lost her daughter, Louise Nuttell, to a collision on the A52 in 2004.

The 35-year-old mother of one lost her life along with Kathleen Stephenson, Darren Smith and Anne’s niece Sarah Wilkinson, while Anne’s eldest daughter, Amanda Meeds, suffered 27 breaks and fractures in the tragic head-on collision.

Anne said: “The memorial will give those that have been unfortunate enough to have loved ones involved in such events a place to remember them.

“We have acquired a strip of land at Westgate Woods in Boston, which we plan to make accessible to everyone.

“Plans are in motion to construct a shelter on site with seating, and we’ve already planted lime trees at the memorial.

“We have raised over £18,000 since last March thanks to a range of events in the community including street collections, tombolas and Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme. We have so many more events planned too.

“Our community is very close-knit and we’ve been lucky enough to receive a fantastic backing for the project.”

Nova Eames, head of sales at Persimmon Homes East Midlands, said: “After reading Anne’s application for funding we were so touched by her heart-breaking story. This memorial will give people a space to reflect on the loved ones they’ve lost on our roads and we really can’t think of a better cause to back.

“We would love to hear from more clubs, groups and good causes as we look to allocate more funding over the coming months.

“All we ask is that the group or charity has already worked hard to raise money themselves, and we will then match this effort with funding of up to £1,000.”

To apply for funding, visit www.persimmonhomes.com/charity and fill in the simple application form.